Device for expanding pistons



May 28, 1935. G. B. LUSE DEVICE FOR EXPANDING PISTONS Filed Aug.

INVENTOR Gbrdon gZain Lzzse ATTORN E s WITNESS W Patented May 28, 1935PATENT OFFICE 2,002,821 DEVIGE FOR EXPANDING PISTONS Gordon Bl'ain Luse,Big Spring, Tex.

Application August 23,

' ,3 Claims.

- My invention relates to improvements in devices for expanding pistons,and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangementsherein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a means for expanding pistonsso that old pistons can be used with rebored cylinders.-

A further object of my. inventionis to provide a device for expandingpistons which is very simple, costs but little, but which holds thepiston to a permanent size without unduee'xpansion or contraction, asdistinguished from those devices involving the use of springs. r

A further object of the invention is to provide a device by means ofwhich the expansion of the piston may be accurately gauged and in which.the use of the simplemeans for expansion will permit. of adjustment ofthe expansion, as desired. A further object of the invention is toprovide a device by means of which the piston skirt may be expandeduniformly from top to bottom.

A further object is to provide .a means for expanding pistons which canbe applied in a of time.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specificationand the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part ofthis application, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a piston showing means for expanding thesame. v

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the inner side of the piston wallshowing the expanding means permanently in position, and,

Figure 4 is a perspective-view of a pair of wedge members used forexpanding the piston.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, I have shown therein wedges, one ofsaid wedges having a body portion 5 of maximum thickness at the end 6and tapering to a minimum thickness at the edge 1. It is provided with aflange 8 having rivet p nings 9. The depth of the wedge, that is to say,the distance from the outer edge ID to the wall of the flange issubstantially equal tothe is greater than that of the companion wedge 5this length being indicated by the distance from the thinner end lltothe point IS, the extra 1934, Serial No. 741,168

length being indicated in Fig. 4 by dotted lines. The purpose of theextra length will be explained hereinafter.

In expanding a piston such as that shown at It, in Fig. 1, a cut is madein the body portion 5 thereof, this out being indicated at I! andextending from the lower edge l8, as viewed in Fig. 1, to the top of theskirt. This out can be made by means of a hack saw in which two bladesare placed side by side in the hack saw frame.

The wedge 5, the thickest part of which is less than the width of thecut, is now placed in the cut with the flange side of the wedge close toone edge of the cut, as shown in Fig. 1'. Holes corresponding to therivet holes 9 are bored in the 15 piston and rivets is are passedthrough the flange 8 and are upset to securely hold thewedge In inposition. Of Course the outer wall of the piston is reamed to permit theupset portions of the rivet to be ground oiI smoothly with the outsideof the piston, as shown at 20 in Fig. 2.

The wedge II is now oiled and inserted at the lower end of the slot llas viewed in Fig. 1 and is pushed upwardly, the flange l2 being incontact with the inner piston wall. The wedges 5 and II are tapered atthe same slant in opposite directions so that eventually as the wedge IIis v driven forwardly .the piston will begin to expwd. Accuratemeasurements can be taken of the expansion and the driving-of the wedgeII is discontinued when the proper expansion is secured. Holes are nowbored in the wall of the piston to correspond with the rivet holes IS.The wedge llis then removed and is cut oif to correspond approximatelywith the wedge 5 in order to make a neat job. The wedge l I is thenreplaced in the same manner and riveted by the use of rivets l9 whichare countersunk at 20 as shown in connection with the wedge 5. V 40 Apiston expanded thus is practically as good as a new piston and acts inall respects like it. That is to say there is no undue expansion orcontraction due to the expanding device. The piston is permanentlyexpanded. '5

I am aware that piston expanders are not broadly new but those that Ihave sceninvolve accuracy of adjustment or the ease of adjustment thatis possible in the present construction. 5

a I claim: p i -1. The combination with a piston having a longitudinalslot in the wall thereof, of a tapered wedge member disposed in theslot, said wedge member having one side abutting one edge of the 56 morecomplicatedmechanism or do not have the 3:,

slot, 2. laterally extending flange integral with said wedge and securedto the inner face of the piston wall on one side of the slot, a secondwedge member tapered in the opposite direction and slidable on saidfirst named wedge member for expanding the piston to a predeterminedamount, said second named wedge member having an integral flange, andmeans for securing said last named flange to the inner face of thepiston wall on the opposite side of the slot.

2. The combination with a piston having a longitudinal slot inthe wallthereof, of a pair of oppositely tapered wedge members disposed in theslot, each of said wedge members having integral flanges, means forsecuring one of said flanges to the inner wall of the piston on one sideof v the slot, and means for securing the other flange to the pistonwall on the opposite side of the slot when the members have beenadjusted to expand the piston the desired amount.

3. As an article of manufacture, a piston expanding member comprising atapered body portion and an integral flange extending laterally fromsaid body portion and being provided with rivet openings.

GORDON BLAIN LUSE.

